Shadow self
by Blackhole116
Summary: Set after the season four finale, a battle between Stefan and Silas. A different take on the tale of Stefan.
1. Chapter 1

When he discovered his doppelganger amongst those who would wake him he had given consideration to the notion that there was a greater purpose at play.

Said notion had been quickly dismissed as he saw what true insects these vampires were. Futilely crawling over their rock of a town, scurrying for survival. The cure stolen from them so easily, pitiful reactions to the death of an insignificant boy, desperation to make their grief-stricken friend okay again, Stefan's pathetic desire to be normal. His doppelganger did not even deserve the name of his shadow.

Now however, as he stood upon the cliff-face, while a Stefan-filled safe sank deeper into the quarry below, he realised how foolish it had been of him to dismiss the situation so readily.

Silas fell to his knees in agony. The engulfing sensation of water burning his lungs, immediately informed him that Stefan was in his head. So the young vampire had some power after all. Angrily he mentally thrust Stefan away, seeking to eject the young vampire from his mind, but the strangle-hold barely shook and Silas coughed wretchedly and pointlessly against the imaginary tide. Using his vast psychic talents he moved to get control of himself, focusing on the illusory nature of his predicament. He coughed up air and clawed at his throat as his efforts proved fruitless. Deciding a change of tact was in order he reached into Stefan's mind, and entered with ease, though now unsure how much Stefan was merely accepting as a part in this dual. It mattered little, for Stefan was the one actually drowning and would soon fall unconscious-at which point Silas would gain the upper hand.

He delved deeper into Stefan's mind, knowing now that there was far more there than he had perceived at first glance, he searched for something of import. Stefan was allowing him to see, not to gloat, but rather as a distraction. A picture formed in Silas's mind, of one Katherine Pierce. From his forays in Bonnie's mind he knew Katherine was also a doppelganger. He concentrated even as he trembled from the exertion of his lungs.

_It's a night in eighteen sixty four, the night Stefan died, this he gleans from the emotive taint of the image. He watches as Katherine sneaks into Stefan's room, hands delicate on the door, careful to be quieter than usual, she sends Stefan a sly grin. They're both aware of the importance of the night ahead of them. She sits down beside him on the bed and he straightens to move closer. _

"_Ready?" Katherine asks, giving him a considering look. _

"_I must do this," Stefan replies, grim determination shadowing his brow. _

"_Well, you know what's first," she says. He nods sombrely. _

_Katherine feeds Stefan her blood. _

So Stefan was turned by another doppelganger. A doppelganger turned by another doppelganger was definitely a curiosity. A person did not become as powerful as Silas without understanding the power blood held and the magical consequences when said blood was wielded to form a creature such as a doppelganger, let alone one twice born by doppelganger blood. He reached for more only to find blackness as the weight of his own chest eased, he breathed deep, straightening as if the pain had never existed. He waited patiently for Stefan to awake, this time ready to viciously demonstrate how brutally he could probe. When the moment came, he shot out psychic tendrils, winding, drilling, entwining, suffocating Stefan's mind. He grinned internally with the feeling of Stefan choking weakly, silent and still.

Silas moved to depart but had barely taken a step before the full force of a waterfall down his gullet brought him to his knees. He pulled his mind back slightly from Stefan and the young vampire in turn did the same. It was a temporary ceasefire. They floated in their self-constructed bubble, almost unaware of the physical agony besieging them.

_I've spent the past century honing my talents on the minds of Original vampires and powerful witches, while you've mainly handled the occasional stray dehydrated tourist; you're out of practise._

Silas felt Stefan's words, tinged thickly with images of the Originals.

_The ones Stefan knows as 'Finn' and 'Sage' are at 'The Mystic Grill'. The plan to kill Finn is unfolding. __As the two drink their Vervein spiked Tequila, Stefan stands and strides with casual subtleness towards the door. He turns to give them his sassiest expression complete with smile and teasing eyebrow raise just before he exits, challenging them to come get him. He finds a stealthy position behind the door. _

_Stefan's attack is blocked by Sage and he's tackled to the ground. It's all part of the plan. He drops the stake and it falls down the steps. He nudges at their minds (_get the stake and kill the vampire with it_), leads Finn to run down the stairs after a piece of wood instead of pulling Stefan's heart out. _

_Stefan pushes harder as Elena misses, keeping Finn in place the moment necessary for Matt to stake him. _

Silas gazed upon the machinations Stefan allowed him to see. It was clear the young vampire was demonstrating their likeness, that he too often reconstructed his surroundings by mind controlling all those around him, working slowly towards a greater end. Stefan was manipulating him. It was clear that he wanted Silas to save him.  
Surprisingly Silas felt the willingness to oblige, if only to put an end to this tiresome drowning sensation, besides, Stefan was a curiosity and curiosities were always amusing.

As he took the plunge Silas saw more of the night of Stefan's death, it was not the truth, but a lie; he saw the story Stefan had created in everyone's mind, only one element the truth: his doppelganger had bled out under a full moon.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter one

Their stalemate is an almost tangible force against their bodies, controlling the minutia of their movements. Both standing tall despite the recent water trauma.

"I will go back to Mystic Falls," Silas announces, regardless of this little upset the town is still where the cure lies.

"I can drive you," Stefan offers.

Silas smiles wryly as his words have their desired effect whilst also confirming that Stefan is just as reluctant to leave him to his own activities as he is to leave Stefan. Stefan is not as in control of the situation as he would like to seem if he still considers Silas a threat. Nevertheless Silas knows these new revelations about Stefan's powers require him to handle the situation with tact.

He sits in the vehicle and absently pokes at Stefan's mind. Stefan in turn, allows old irrelevant memories out to wrap around and hide the newer ones.

_It is a Sunday like any other and Stefan climbs the large steps leading up to the church. But today Damon seems in a mood for disruption and Stefan squirms nervously at the thought of negative attention being drawn to them. Proper behaviour was very important, in church even more so. Sitting in the pew beside his brother, his stomach roils and he taps silently at the air in front of him, his anxiety causing him to miss the first part of the sermon. _

_Proper etiquette means behaving appropriately, Stefan always behaves himself. The actions are rote, existing simply because they must, a held out chair for one you hate, a smile for the guests when you're sad inside. The rules simply are what they are, not lies, simply things that are not talked of in public: the Forbes man whose breath smells of medicine, the Fell woman with her flirtatious indiscretions. He understands in the way that these are simple musts. What Stefan questions is why people act like they do not know how each other is feeling, even in private, even with their closest loved ones alone. The pain is so much, maybe that is why they lie, maybe that is why they're sombre all the time. _

"_It is not about pain for the sake of pain, it is about the willingness to make a sacrifice," the pastor says. _

_The words wrench Stefan from his thoughts, the last word is one he is unfamiliar with, the idea however is not new. Sacrifice, he feels out the word on his tongue, whispers it into his hands. Yes this is the word, the name for the feeling. It has sat heavily in his father's gut. Giuseppe feels it and so Stefan feels it too. _

"How unusual, you were using your powers without even having knowledge of them, do tell how that came to pass?" Silas inquires.

Stefan startles and gives a sigh at the revelation that the tid-bit memory gave so much away. But Silas is aware it's mostly for show; his shadow self knows exactly what he's revealing.

"I was a kid," Stefan begins with false reluctance, shrugging slightly before continuing, "I thought everything I felt was the norm and feelings weren't something that was talked about anyway. I was a few years older by the time I realised that no one else could feel others emotions."


End file.
